“We tend the relationships; the projects we do are secondary to the friendships we build.”
The quotation above summarizes our goals.
When we adopted it as our formal statement of purpose in 1987, the writers went on to say: “We expect the relationship to deepen over time and to involve a steadily increasing number of participants from both islands. Our friendship will be mindful of human dignity and the necessity of expanding cooperation among peoples of the earth, irrespective of political philosophies.” They listed some of what they planned to do:
- Develop people-to-people contacts
- Support educational, technical and cultural exchange
- Carry out projects of mutual interest and benefit
- Increase awareness on Bainbridge Island of the problems confronting developing countries
- Promote understanding of the special problems faced by the people of Ometepe, and by Nicaragua in general
Decades later, these activities continue to evolve in wondrous ways.